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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 · stick · game · coach · bulb · net · prune · suit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. net — for catching
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — in sport
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — for light
  15. net — after costs
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. game — a match
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. prune — to trim
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. suit — in cards
  24. game — wild animals

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