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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. track — a song
  5. drill — army training
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. drill — a practice
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ground — a position
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. board — to get on

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