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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lie — to recline
  5. board — a committee
  6. field — for sport
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. vault — a safe
  14. board — to get on
  15. field — farmland
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. field — a subject
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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