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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. board — to get on
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. shower — rain
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lie — to recline
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ball — a great time
  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