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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. board — a committee
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. track — a path
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. track — a song
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rash — hasty

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