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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. board — to get on
  5. last — to go on
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. last — final
  8. spring — of water
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. last — finally
  12. face — to confront
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. board — a committee
  18. spring — a coil
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pop — to visit
  24. suit — to fit

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