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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rash — a series
  3. staff — a stick
  4. present — there
  5. bound — tied together
  6. face — to confront
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. face — part of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — hasty
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — a committee
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — to get on
  16. spell — magic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. present — a gift
  24. staff — employees

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