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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: mate · rock · pitcher · fall · lie · board · firm · fine

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — music
  4. mate — a partner
  5. board — a committee
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — the season
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. firm — steady
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fine — all right
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mate — to breed

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