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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: can · face · wind · board · coach · ball · patient · safe

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wind — moving air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a dance
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. board — to get on
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. board — a committee
  16. face — to confront
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. face — to point toward
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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