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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ground — crushed
  6. board — a committee
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. present — the time now
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. board — to get on
  12. face — to confront
  13. present — there
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. face — to point toward
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. present — a gift
  23. wax — to grow
  24. face — part of the head

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