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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. chip — to eat
  4. toast — bread
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. chip — for betting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. board — a committee
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wax — to grow
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. face — part of the head

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