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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: game · bore · fine · cabinet · board · face · present · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. game — wild animals
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. present — there
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — to confront
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — part of the head
  15. board — to get on
  16. bore — to tire
  17. game — a match
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — high quality
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bore — to drill
  23. face — to point toward
  24. fine — all right

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