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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. face — to confront
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. board — a committee
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — to get on
  11. rock — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pit — a hole
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — to point toward
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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