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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. board — a committee
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — in a race
  16. face — to confront
  17. stem — to come from
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. board — to get on
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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