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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. capital — money
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pit — a hole
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pit — in a race
  16. face — to confront
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a committee
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. board — to get on

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