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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. board — a committee
  3. object — an aim
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. face — part of the head
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — to protest
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. face — to confront
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. object — a thing
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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