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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. saw — the tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. board — a committee
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. face — to confront
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a skill
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. board — to get on
  24. key — in music

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