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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. board — to get on
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. clip — for paper
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — to point toward
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. court — of a king
  16. face — part of the head
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a trace
  21. clip — a video
  22. face — to confront
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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