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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — to go on
  4. game — a match
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. last — finally
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — all right
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — to fit
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — to recline
  21. last — final
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. swing — in golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

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