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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.

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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: kick · bulb · bat · rule · lie · swing · deal · fine

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rule — government
  6. bat — the animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rule — a law
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. swing — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. swing — in golf
  24. kick — in football

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