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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — all right
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — to breed
  12. race — humankind
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. board — a committee
  17. mate — a friend
  18. race — a contest
  19. lie — to recline
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. foot — part of the body

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