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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — to recline
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. season — of the year
  11. capital — money
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. capital — a city
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. board — a committee
  20. mine — for digging
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. season — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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