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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — finally
  3. cue — a signal
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. last — final
  6. hand — help
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a hint
  10. current — happening now
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. current — electric
  14. mate — a partner
  15. hand — in cards
  16. last — to go on
  17. current — of water
  18. board — to get on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mate — a friend
  23. board — a committee
  24. stand — to bear

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