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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fall — the season
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ground — a position
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — a break
  8. pop — soda
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rest — what's left
  13. board — to get on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — a committee
  18. pop — to visit
  19. club — for golf
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — music
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lie — to recline
  24. club — a group

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