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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: rule · board · bay · capital · lie · chip · ground · squash

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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 — an untruth
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. board — a committee
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. squash — to crush
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. capital — money
  23. lie — an untruth
  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