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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 116 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: bass · face · board · lie · ball · pit · mark · hand

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pit — a hole
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bass — the instrument

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