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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: suit · lie · net · bay · bat · swing · rule · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. swing — in golf
  4. net — in sport
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bat — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — after costs
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — music
  12. net — for catching
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fall — the season
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — a law

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