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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bear — the animal
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. clip — to cut
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — a partner
  19. clip — a video
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — to recline
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mate — to breed

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