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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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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: nail · bat · cue · swing · band · lie · key · charge

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. swing — in golf
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. band — a ring
  12. swing — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a music group
  15. cue — for pool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bat — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cue — a hint

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