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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — the fish
  5. present — there
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bass — low music
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. race — humankind
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. race — a contest
  18. board — to get on
  19. present — the time now
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. present — a gift
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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