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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. club — for dancing
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — of the year
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. season — in sport
  18. board — to get on
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — for golf
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a committee
  24. lie — to recline

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