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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — music
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. board — to get on
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — a committee
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. face — to confront
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. craft — boats
  18. pass — a permit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hand — help
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. craft — a skill

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