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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — a committee
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a dance
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — for digging
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bank — of a river
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mine — an explosive

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