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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: bowl · lie · net · tube · court · deal · stick · ruler

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. net — for catching
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. tube — a container
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. court — for sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. lie — to recline

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