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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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. hand — help
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fall — the season
  11. craft — a skill
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fall — to drop
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a committee
  18. hand — in cards
  19. craft — boats
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — to get on
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. lie — an untruth

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