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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — a hat
  4. board — a committee
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. board — to get on
  7. lie — to recline
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. kick — in football
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cap — of ice
  24. key — in music

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