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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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. court — for sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — government
  9. board — to get on
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mark — a grade
  15. club — for golf
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. club — a group
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rule — to rule out

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