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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — to get on
  5. court — of law
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. drill — army training
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. board — a committee
  14. drill — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. court — for sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. drill — a practice
  24. court — of a king

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