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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. last — finally
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. last — to go on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — electricity
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. lie — to recline
  11. charge — in control
  12. band — a music group
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rock — music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. charge — a price
  21. snap — to click
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. last — final
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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