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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. board — a committee
  3. swing — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hand — in cards
  8. key — for a lock
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. swing — to play on
  13. face — part of the head
  14. swing — in golf
  15. face — to confront
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — to get on
  18. key — in music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — clothes

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