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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wind — moving air
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — what's left
  10. face — to confront
  11. board — to get on
  12. drill — army training
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wind — moving air
  15. drill — a practice
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pit — in a race
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rest — a break
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. board — a committee
  24. lean — to rest against

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