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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — a hat
  6. board — a committee
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — part of the head
  9. cap — a lid
  10. suit — clothes
  11. face — to point toward
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. date — the fruit
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. saw — the tool
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cap — of ice
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — to confront
  24. date — on the calendar

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