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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. swing — in golf
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. content — the amount
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. swing — music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — to play on
  21. content — happy
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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