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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — to get on
  5. game — wild animals
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. game — a match
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bulb — of a plant

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