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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — boats
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. game — wild animals
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. fine — all right
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. game — a match
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — thin
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. face — part of the head
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fine — high quality
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lean — to bend

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