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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. present — there
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — a break
  16. scale — in music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — the time now
  20. board — a committee
  21. present — a gift
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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