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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: bat · arm · safe · rush · rock · track · face · board

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — to get on
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rock — a stone
  8. track — a song
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a committee
  11. track — a path
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bat — the animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rock — music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. track — to keep track

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