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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rock — a stone
  3. season — of the year
  4. fine — high quality
  5. face — to confront
  6. pop — soda
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. object — a thing
  9. spring — the season
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — to get on
  12. spring — a coil
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pop — music
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. face — to point toward
  20. object — to protest
  21. spring — of water
  22. rock — music
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — to visit

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