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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — a committee
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. race — humankind
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. race — a contest
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pound — a weight
  22. track — a path
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — to tire

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