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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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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 · swing · game · rest · land · staff · club

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. staff — employees
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. swing — music
  5. land — to come down
  6. rule — a law
  7. lie — to recline
  8. swing — to play on
  9. land — ground
  10. staff — employees
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. club — a group
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. club — for golf
  17. land — a country
  18. club — for dancing
  19. game — a match
  20. rest — a break
  21. swing — in golf
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rule — government

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