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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — in sport
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. season — of the year
  24. board — to get on

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