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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. object — a thing
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — a group
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. club — for dancing
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a committee
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. club — for golf

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