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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 116 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bat — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ground — a position
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — to get on

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