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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rash — hasty
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. cell — a phone
  14. board — to get on
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rash — a series
  18. lie — an untruth

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