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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: nail · sharp · bowl · squash · band · bass · ruler · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — low music
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. squash — to crush

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