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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. face — to confront
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a committee
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. face — part of the head
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pop — soda
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pop — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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