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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — to get on
  5. mug — to rob
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — boats
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. face — to point toward
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mug — a face
  18. craft — a handicraft

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