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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — thin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — for money
  7. face — part of the head
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rush — hurry
  10. face — to confront
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. board — to get on
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bank — of a river
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — for money

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