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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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Word bank
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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: lie · net · wind · suit · dip · stand · board · sharp

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wind — moving air
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a committee
  7. dip — to sink
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. net — in sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. net — for catching
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. sharp — clever
  18. board — to get on
  19. net — after costs
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — clothes
  23. dip — a sauce
  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