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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · board · suit · lie · cell · ruler

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cell — a phone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring

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