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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. present — there
  5. face — to confront
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — goods
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. key — in music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — shares
  18. board — to get on
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. face — to point toward
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a flat piece

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