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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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Word bank
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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. board — to get on
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ball — a great time
  8. spell — magic
  9. file — a tool
  10. spell — letters
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. file — a document
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. key — for a lock
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. file — a line of people
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lie — to recline

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