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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: stand · bat · board · lie · safe · jam · spell · hide

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lie — to recline
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. spell — magic
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. spell — letters
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. board — to get on
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bat — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

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