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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: clip · board · cabinet · date · bay · face · race · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. board — to get on
  8. clip — for paper
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — a video
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. date — the fruit
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. clip — to cut
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. race — a contest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — humankind
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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