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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. dip — to sink
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ball — a dance
  9. face — part of the head
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — completely
  19. face — to point toward
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. board — a committee

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