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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — a committee
  7. cap — of ice
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. scale — size or range
  13. face — to confront
  14. cap — a hat
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bass — the fish
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. board — to get on
  21. march — the month
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bass — low music
  24. season — of the year

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