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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. face — to point toward
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. tube — a container
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. saw — the tool
  10. face — part of the head
  11. court — of a king
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. board — a committee
  17. face — to confront
  18. can — to be able to

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