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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.

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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: ruler · fan · pit · lie · net · club · board · last

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pit — in a race
  6. club — for golf
  7. pit — a hole
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. club — for dancing
  13. net — in sport
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — a committee
  16. last — final
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — to recline
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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