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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 120 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 · rush · bulb · racket · fine · board · hand · land

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. land — ground
  3. lie — to recline
  4. land — to come down
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hand — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — all right
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. land — a country
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fine — high quality
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. hand — help
  24. rush — hurry

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