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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chest — of your body
  4. board — to get on
  5. track — a song
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. board — a committee
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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