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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: bear · rush · hand · cap · sharp · board · lie · firm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. firm — a company
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rush — hurry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. hand — help
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. board — a committee
  13. hand — in cards
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cap — a hat
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. board — to get on
  24. sharp — with an edge

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