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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. board — to get on
  8. firm — steady
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — decided
  18. rock — a stone
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — in music
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. ruler — a monarch

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