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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. drill — the tool
  3. march — the month
  4. face — to confront
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — army training
  7. court — of a king
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitch — completely
  12. board — to get on
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. march — the month
  15. board — a committee
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. march — music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. face — part of the head
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — a practice

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