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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 116 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. face — to confront
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. charge — a price
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. board — to get on
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. charge — in control
  18. face — to point toward
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fall — to drop
  24. deal — a big deal

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