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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: fine · face · game · pound · pass · spring · board · toast

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. face — part of the head
  3. spring — a coil
  4. game — wild animals
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pound — a weight
  7. board — to get on
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. spring — of water
  12. toast — bread
  13. pass — a permit
  14. face — to confront
  15. spring — the season
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fine — all right
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. game — a match
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fine — high quality
  22. board — a committee
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pass — to succeed

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