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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bat · leaves · club · safe · rule · swing · lie · pitcher

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. swing — music
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. club — for dancing
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. club — for golf
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. swing — to play on
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. swing — in golf
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. club — a group

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