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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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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: lie · pitcher · board · rest · prune · saw · race · bay

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. race — a contest
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — a break
  9. prune — to trim
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — a committee
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. race — humankind
  22. lie — to recline
  23. race — the arms race
  24. saw — the tool

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