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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ground — crushed
  3. board — a committee
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — to get on
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. face — to confront
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lie — an untruth

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