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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — to paddle
  12. board — a committee
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. row — a line
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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