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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. board — a committee
  3. chest — a box
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. board — to get on
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. chest — of your body
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. drill — army training
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. drill — the tool
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — part of the head
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — to confront
  22. chest — of your body
  23. snap — to click
  24. safe — a strongbox

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