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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. drill — army training
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lie — to recline
  17. board — to get on
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bowl — a dish

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