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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. face — part of the head
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — to get on
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — in sport
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. season — of the year
  24. roll — a cake

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