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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — to recline
  4. board — a committee
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. club — for golf
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. club — for dancing
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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