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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: spell · rush · coach · pop · rest · bay · game · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — wild animals
  3. spell — magic
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pop — soda
  8. rest — a break
  9. spell — letters
  10. pop — music
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. game — a match
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — a short time
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — to visit

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