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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stock — shares
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. face — to confront
  7. board — a committee
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stock — goods
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. face — part of the head
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. board — to get on
  19. roll — a list
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. face — to point toward
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. game — wild animals

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