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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. sharp — clever
  4. board — to get on
  5. lie — to recline
  6. drill — army training
  7. chip — for betting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fine — all right

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