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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cap — of ice
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. board — to get on
  14. race — a contest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a committee

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