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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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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: lie · fall · nail · racket · suit · game · bay · prune

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fall — to drop
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. game — a match
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fall — the season
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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