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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. track — a song
  4. board — to get on
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cap — of ice
  7. board — a committee
  8. bore — to drill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cap — a lid
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cap — a hat
  16. track — to keep track
  17. face — to confront
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. track — a path

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