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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. date — the fruit
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bass — low music
  6. season — of the year
  7. face — to confront
  8. bore — to drill
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. face — part of the head
  16. board — to get on
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chip — to eat
  24. season — to add flavour

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