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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. board — to get on
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. land — ground
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. board — a committee
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. scale — size or range
  15. land — to come down
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. scale — in music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pitch — completely
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. land — a country

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