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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. board — a committee
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — letters
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. net — after costs
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bore — to drill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — for catching
  20. board — to get on
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. net — in sport
  24. hand — help

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