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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 120 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. face — to point toward
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. board — a committee
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. face — to confront
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — electricity
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — the fish
  16. staff — employees
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — to get on
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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