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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — all right
  8. lean — to bend
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — to get on
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — a hint
  13. face — to point toward
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. face — to confront
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lean — thin
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fine — high quality
  24. board — a committee

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