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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spell — letters
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. race — humankind
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. race — the arms race
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — to get on

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