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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rock — music
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. face — to point toward
  11. board — a committee
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — to get on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. face — to confront
  16. chair — a leader
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. dip — to sink
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — a tool

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