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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. board — to get on
  3. hand — in cards
  4. face — part of the head
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. land — a country
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — decided
  11. wake — a trail
  12. firm — a company
  13. pit — a hole
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. land — ground
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. face — to confront
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pit — in a race
  23. firm — steady
  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