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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. face — part of the head
  3. board — a committee
  4. stand — to bear
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — to come down
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. face — to point toward
  16. land — ground
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. craft — boats
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. board — a flat piece

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