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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. squash — the sport
  3. spell — letters
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — to get on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. scale — in music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. toast — bread
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. face — to point toward
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. face — to confront

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