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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 · dip · leaves · track · snap · jam · board · stem

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. snap — to click
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. track — a song
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. track — a path
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lie — to recline
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. board — to get on
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. track — to keep track
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stem — to come from
  24. dip — to sink

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