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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
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: root · ball · rule · wave · lie · swing · pitcher · bat

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — the cause
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bat — the animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. swing — music
  19. rule — government
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. swing — to play on
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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