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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: lie · board · capital · mate · drill · track · suit · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — a friend
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — to get on
  6. track — a path
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. court — for sport
  9. mate — to breed
  10. court — of law
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — army training
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mate — a partner
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. court — of a king

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