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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: lie · toast · board · kick · bowl · ball · bay · wax

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. toast — bread
  4. kick — in football
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ball — a dance
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a committee
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. board — to get on
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bowl — a dish

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