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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. root — of a plant
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. current — happening now
  8. face — to confront
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — to point toward
  11. current — of water
  12. board — a committee
  13. root — the cause
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. last — to go on
  16. cap — a lid
  17. current — electric
  18. cap — a hat
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. root — of a word
  21. last — final
  22. board — to get on
  23. face — part of the head
  24. last — finally

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