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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. face — part of the head
  4. board — a committee
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. foot — a measure
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mate — to breed
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. face — to confront
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. face — to point toward

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