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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. face — part of the head
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. face — to point toward
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. snap — to click
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mug — a cup
  13. kick — in football
  14. saw — the tool
  15. board — a committee
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. drill — a practice
  22. saw — the tool
  23. face — to confront
  24. board — to get on

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