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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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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: row · wind · game · ruler · present · lie · racket · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wind — moving air
  4. present — the time now
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. present — there
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — to recline
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. game — a match
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — a gift
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. row — to paddle

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