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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: last · bat · mark · cue · board · lie · rock · trunk

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a committee
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bat — the animal
  12. last — finally
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. board — to get on
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. last — final
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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