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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. capital — a city
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — employees
  10. bear — the animal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. ground — the earth
  14. board — a committee
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. capital — money
  17. firm — a company
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. firm — decided
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. staff — a stick

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