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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. file — a tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. file — a line of people
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fine — high quality
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. face — to confront
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. file — a document
  24. face — part of the head

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