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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wound — an injury
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. plane — a tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mug — a face
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — bread
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. face — to confront
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wound — an injury
  22. board — to get on
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. board — a committee

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