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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cell — in biology
  5. swing — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. face — part of the head
  18. board — a committee
  19. wind — moving air
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — in golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pound — for dogs

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