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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.

Words on the sheet
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: hide · jam · trunk · rash · band · lean · lie · club

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a music group
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. club — a group
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lean — thin
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. band — a ring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — to recline
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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