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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: kick · bat · rush · deal · rock · lie · bass · fine

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bass — the fish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bat — the animal
  13. kick — in football
  14. rock — music
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bass — low music
  18. fine — all right
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rush — a thrill
  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