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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cue — for pool
  9. face — to confront
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wind — moving air
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cue — a hint

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