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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: mark · dip · leaves · pass · net · lie · scale · board

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — to get on
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. net — after costs
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — a trace
  19. net — in sport
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. net — for catching
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pass — a permit
  24. scale — in music

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