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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. net — after costs
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. net — in sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. net — for catching
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — a supporter

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