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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: leaves · wound · fan · board · bat · lie · saw · cue

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — for pool
  3. board — to get on
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. board — a committee
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. cue — a signal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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