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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bass — low music
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. board — a committee
  14. bass — the fish
  15. face — part of the head
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. face — to confront
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. board — to get on

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