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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. file — a line of people
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — low music
  7. file — a document
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. board — a committee
  15. bass — the fish
  16. face — to confront
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. board — to get on
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. file — a tool

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