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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: lie · trunk · deal · ground · bay · cue · racket · date

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ground — the earth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cue — for pool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cue — a signal

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