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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 116 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — to recline
  5. board — to get on
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — for catching
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bank — of a river
  15. net — in sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bank — for money
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. net — after costs
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. mark — a grade
  24. craft — a skill

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