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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chair — a leader
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. march — the month
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. march — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stock — shares
  21. march — the month
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chair — to sit on

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