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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rash — a series
  5. mark — a trace
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — after costs
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bank — of a river
  18. net — in sport
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mark — a grade
  21. face — to confront
  22. net — for catching
  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