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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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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 · bay · perch · stand · sharp · deal · race

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — to confront
  10. race — a contest
  11. board — a committee
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. perch — the fish
  15. board — to get on
  16. race — humankind
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. deal — to handle
  19. face — to point toward
  20. race — the arms race
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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