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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. board — a committee
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. object — a thing
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wake — a trail
  12. present — there
  13. craft — a skill
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. snap — to click
  16. present — a gift
  17. board — to get on
  18. craft — boats
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. net — in sport
  24. present — the time now

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