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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stem — to come from
  3. board — to get on
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rule — government
  6. face — to confront
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. shower — to wash
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. board — a committee
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — rain
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. swing — music

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