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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. face — part of the head
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fine — all right
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. branch — a division
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. board — to get on
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pop — to visit
  22. squash — to crush
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rush — hurry

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