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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: lie · rule · object · ball · band · chest · coach · fine

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. band — a music group
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fine — all right
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rule — government
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — a thing
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. band — a ring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — a law
  22. chest — of your body
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. band — a rubber band

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