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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a committee
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. net — after costs
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. march — the month
  14. board — to get on
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — thin
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. march — music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. face — to confront
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ball — a dance

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