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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. board — a committee
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. game — a match
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. game — wild animals
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lie — to recline

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