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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: pitcher · mate · saw · stand · board · present · lie · object

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. present — there
  6. object — to protest
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — to breed
  12. present — a gift
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. mate — a friend
  16. present — the time now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — to bear
  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