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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. clip — for paper
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. board — a committee
  16. craft — boats
  17. charge — electricity
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. clip — to cut
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. clip — a video
  22. charge — a price
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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