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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. net — for catching
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — in sport
  10. cold — an illness
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — to get on
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. toast — bread
  23. cold — not warm
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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