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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 120 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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 — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wound — an injury
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. clip — a video
  19. fork — in a road
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rock — music
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lie — to recline
  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