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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lie — to recline
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wax — to grow
  11. club — for golf
  12. board — to get on
  13. net — after costs
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. club — a group
  16. wound — an injury
  17. club — for dancing
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. net — in sport
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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