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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. 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 — to get on
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. present — a gift
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. present — there
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. craft — boats
  15. present — the time now
  16. kick — in football
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. capital — a city
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. capital — money
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. 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