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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: bat · lie · hand · stick · ruler · deal · rush · racket

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — help
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lie — to recline
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. hand — part of the body

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