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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · field · board · lie · key · rest · mine · mate

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. key — the most important part
  7. field — farmland
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rest — a break
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. field — for sport
  15. key — in music
  16. field — a subject
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mate — a friend
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rest — what's left

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