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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · capital · board · rash · cap · face · rush · racket

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — a hat
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — to get on
  9. face — to confront
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fine — all right
  17. rash — a series
  18. fine — high quality
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. capital — money

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