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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to confront
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. board — a committee
  7. club — for golf
  8. stock — shares
  9. bore — to tire
  10. march — music
  11. stock — goods
  12. face — to point toward
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — a group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. staff — employees
  17. march — the month
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bore — to drill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. board — to get on
  24. march — the month

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