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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stand — to bear
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. board — to get on
  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