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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — in cards
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a document
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fine — high quality
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bass — low music
  19. board — to get on
  20. fine — all right
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — to trim
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bass — the fish

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