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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cap — a lid
  3. board — a committee
  4. squash — to crush
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. cap — a hat
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — of ice
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. tube — the underground
  24. board — to get on

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