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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cold — not warm
  5. board — a committee
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. board — to get on
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cold — an illness
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. can — a tin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — to crush

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