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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. content — the amount
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — to get on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bass — low music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bass — the fish

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