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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. hand — in cards
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. tear — from crying
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. staff — a stick
  14. tear — from crying
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. staff — employees
  19. toast — bread
  20. board — a committee
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. tear — to rip
  24. hand — help

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