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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. field — a subject
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mate — to breed
  12. kid — to tease
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — a tool
  15. face — part of the head
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. mate — a partner
  19. face — to confront
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mate — a friend
  24. board — a flat piece

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