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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: bore · roll · board · lean · stand · racket · lie · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. roll — a cake
  3. board — a committee
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. roll — a list
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lean — thin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bore — gave birth

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