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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rash — a series
  8. hand — help
  9. track — a path
  10. tear — from crying
  11. swing — in golf
  12. track — a song
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — music
  16. tear — to rip
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rash — hasty
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rule — government
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com