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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: lie · file · game · ground · mug · roll · deal · racket

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. file — a document
  4. roll — a list
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. file — a line of people
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. roll — a cake
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a tool
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. game — a match
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mug — a face
  18. game — wild animals
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mug — a cup
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mug — to rob
  24. ground — a position

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