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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. march — music
  4. face — to confront
  5. pound — a weight
  6. face — part of the head
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. march — the month
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. face — to point toward
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cell — a phone
  22. march — the month
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cell — in a prison

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