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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: wave · racket · board · lie · present · squash · dip · drill

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — a practice
  3. present — a gift
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lie — to recline
  7. dip — to sink
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. squash — to crush
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. present — there
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. squash — the sport
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. board — to get on
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. drill — army training
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. drill — the tool
  23. present — the time now
  24. wave — with your hand

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