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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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 — to get on
  4. present — the time now
  5. key — for a lock
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. last — final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. present — there
  10. hand — in cards
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. last — finally
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — help
  15. present — a gift
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. last — to go on
  21. lie — to recline
  22. key — in music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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