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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bass — low music
  9. board — a committee
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rock — music
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lie — an untruth

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