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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — in sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — to get on
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. firm — decided
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lie — to recline
  19. firm — a company
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. firm — steady
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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