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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. charge — electricity
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bass — the fish
  9. net — for catching
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. game — a match
  13. bass — low music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. net — in sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. net — after costs
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. foot — a measure

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