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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chest — of your body
  4. board — to get on
  5. chest — of your body
  6. board — a committee
  7. rest — a break
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chest — a box
  15. tube — a container
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — the underground
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — what's left

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