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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.

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: lie · net · key · cap · board · perch · bat · bark

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. net — in sport
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. net — for catching
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cap — a lid
  15. net — after costs
  16. bat — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — the most important part
  22. board — a committee
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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