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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. chest — a box
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — there
  6. cue — a hint
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. present — the time now
  10. firm — steady
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. board — a committee
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — a gift
  17. firm — a company
  18. board — to get on

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