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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: spell · board · snap · court · jam · lie · present · kick

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — of law
  4. spell — a short time
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — letters
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. court — of a king
  12. kick — in football
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. present — there
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. present — the time now
  18. board — to get on
  19. lie — to recline
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. court — for sport
  22. present — a gift
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. spell — magic

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