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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · nail · lie · swing · band · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. band — a ring
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — to recline
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. swing — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a music group
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. swing — to play on

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