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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. capital — money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — a break
  12. capital — a city
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — boats
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. net — for catching
  17. lie — to recline
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. net — after costs
  24. craft — a skill

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