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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: safe · rule · lie · stick · rush · wound · racket · dip

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — government
  7. wound — an injury
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lie — to recline
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rush — hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — an injury

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