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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. face — to confront
  5. saw — the tool
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. board — to get on
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fine — high quality
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bat — the animal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — all right
  24. press — to push

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