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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 120 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: board · deal · lie · scale · safe · game · mine · pit

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pit — in a race
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. board — a committee
  19. mine — for digging
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. scale — in music
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. scale — size or range
  24. board — to get on

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