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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. board — to get on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — in football
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. board — a committee
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — completely
  19. file — a document
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — to confront
  23. file — a tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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