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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.

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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pound — a weight
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. snap — to click

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