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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lie — to recline
  4. board — to get on
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — all right
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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