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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pop — to visit
  3. face — to confront
  4. tear — to rip
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a committee
  7. club — a group
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. court — of law
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. can — to be able to

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