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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: toast · pass · lie · arm · mine · game · fork · board

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — in a road
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. board — a committee
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. toast — bread
  20. board — to get on
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — part of the body

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