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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · hide · racket · roll · board · present · bass · rock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. board — to get on
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. roll — a cake
  6. present — there
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. board — a committee
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — music
  20. present — a gift
  21. roll — a list
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. racket — a loud noise

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