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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. face — part of the head
  5. season — in sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. face — to point toward
  11. game — a match
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. board — a committee
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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