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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: lean · bay · toast · face · lash · jam · board · charge

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. charge — a price
  3. face — to point toward
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. toast — bread
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — to bend
  14. face — to confront
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. face — part of the head
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. charge — in control
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. board — to get on
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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