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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. face — to point toward
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mug — a face
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — to sink
  9. board — a committee
  10. scale — size or range
  11. squash — the sport
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mug — to rob
  14. face — to confront
  15. mug — a cup
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. face — part of the head
  18. dip — a sauce

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