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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. race — humankind
  4. date — the fruit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. board — to get on
  8. race — a contest
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mark — a trace
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. saw — the tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. board — a committee

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