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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.

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: board · face · straw · key · fine · shower · hide · scale

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. board — a committee
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. scale — size or range
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. face — part of the head
  12. scale — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. shower — rain
  17. key — in music
  18. fine — all right
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. board — to get on
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fine — high quality

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