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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. face — part of the head
  3. key — in music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. staff — employees
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bat — the animal
  12. face — to confront
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — to get on
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — a committee
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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