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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · board · mug · fork · bulb · face · bank · cap

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fork — in a road
  3. board — a committee
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to point toward
  15. board — to get on
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mug — a cup

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