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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
468
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: fork · season · lie · board · suit · net · chair · pitcher

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chair — a leader
  5. net — in sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — in a road
  9. season — of the year
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — to fit
  16. net — for catching
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — to get on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. season — in sport
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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