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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: lie · ruler · lash · game · bay · wake · net · club

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wake — a trail
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — a group
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. club — for golf
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. game — a match
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — for catching
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — a horse colour

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