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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: face · march · board · season · staff · pop · safe · kick

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — in football
  4. march — the month
  5. board — to get on
  6. staff — employees
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. face — part of the head
  9. staff — a stick
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pop — music
  12. face — to point toward
  13. march — music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pop — to visit
  24. staff — employees

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