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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pit — in a race
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. craft — boats
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ground — the earth
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. ground — crushed
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mate — to breed
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — a position
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — to get on
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pit — a hole

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