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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. present — the time now
  6. perch — the fish
  7. track — a song
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — a path
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. object — to protest
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. object — an aim
  16. board — a committee
  17. present — there
  18. track — to keep track
  19. present — a gift
  20. object — a thing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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