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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · bear · club · row · wound · mark · lie · bass

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bass — low music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. row — a line
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — to recline
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bass — the fish
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bear — the animal

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