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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — to get on
  9. face — to point toward
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — the fish
  13. face — to confront
  14. snap — to click
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. face — part of the head
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. board — a committee

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