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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. board — a committee
  3. ground — crushed
  4. track — to keep track
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. craft — boats
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ground — a position
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. board — to get on
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — the earth
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rash — hasty

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