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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. clip — a video
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — a committee
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. club — a group
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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