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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pop — soda
  4. key — in music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. face — to confront
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. court — of a king
  12. board — a committee
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pop — to visit
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pop — music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — to get on

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