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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. net — after costs
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — a committee
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. net — in sport
  24. board — to get on

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