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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. club — for dancing
  3. face — to confront
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. season — of the year
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. club — a group
  10. face — to point toward
  11. board — to get on
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ball — a dance
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — employees
  16. season — in sport
  17. board — a committee
  18. wound — an injury
  19. face — part of the head
  20. club — for golf
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — lets stay

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