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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: cue · bowl · lie · board · race · game · leaves · dip

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. race — humankind
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. race — a contest
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — for pool
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cue — a hint
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. dip — to sink
  21. game — a match
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. lie — an untruth

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