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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. face — to point toward
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — to get on
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stock — shares
  13. tube — a container
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. face — to confront
  16. stock — goods
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. can — a tin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — part of the head
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. board — a committee
  24. sharp — clever

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