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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 120 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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. lie — to recline
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bat — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cap — a lid

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