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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. fall — the season
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — electricity
  15. board — to get on
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stem — of a plant

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