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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. pop — soda
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pop — music
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pop — to visit
  14. press — newspapers
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. face — to confront
  20. press — to push
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cabinet — ministers

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