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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bound — obliged
  3. root — the cause
  4. mug — a face
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bound — certain
  7. face — to confront
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — of a word
  10. board — to get on
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hand — help
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bound — tied together
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mug — a cup
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hand — in cards
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cell — in a prison

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