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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. face — part of the head
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rash — hasty
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wind — moving air
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wax — to grow
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. board — a committee
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rash — a series
  23. face — to confront
  24. rash — on the skin

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