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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — to get on
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — to trim
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. board — a committee
  12. clip — a video
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lie — to recline
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pound — a weight
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pound — for dogs

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