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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's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. capital — money
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. lie — to recline
  7. board — a committee
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — to get on
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — ground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. capital — a city
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — to fit
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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