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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · rush · bat · bear · board · cue · lie · spell

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — magic
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bat — the animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cue — a hint
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cue — for pool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. board — to get on
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bear — to put up with

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