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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. board — to get on
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. field — for sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. face — to point toward
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. charge — in control
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. last — finally
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. face — to confront
  20. bound — tied together
  21. last — final
  22. face — part of the head
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — to go 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