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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
468
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: can · mouse · board · jam · coach · face · drill · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wind — moving air
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mouse — for a computer

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