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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: game · rule · racket · arm · plane · swing · lie · stand

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — to play on
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — government
  15. game — wild animals
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. swing — music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rule — a law
  23. stand — to bear
  24. plane — an aircraft

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