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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wake — a trail
  11. board — a committee
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — to get on
  19. bore — to tire
  20. face — to confront
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. bulb — for light

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