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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
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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: pit · content · hide · last · roll · cabinet · face · board

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. last — final
  7. pit — a hole
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. last — finally
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — happy
  14. face — to point toward
  15. roll — a cake
  16. face — to confront
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. last — to go on
  19. content — the amount
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. roll — a list

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