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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: bat · chip · bore · board · leaves · lie · toast · mate

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a partner
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — a friend
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mate — to breed
  17. board — to get on
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bat — the animal
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — gave birth
  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