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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: bass · roll · key · face · hide · calf · board · stick

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. roll — a list
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. face — to point toward
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. face — to confront
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. board — to get on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. roll — a cake
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. key — in music

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