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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. board — a committee
  5. row — to paddle
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. row — a line
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bore — to tire
  12. face — part of the head
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. key — for a lock
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. row — a quarrel

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