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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cap — a lid
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. file — a document
  11. board — a committee
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. file — a line of people
  15. object — a thing
  16. rash — hasty
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. file — a tool
  23. cap — of ice
  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