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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. court — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. face — part of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — to get on
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fall — the season
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. court — of a king
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. face — to confront
  20. fine — all right
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. court — of law
  24. deal — a big deal

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