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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: face · rock · ruler · sharp · fan · cell · bat · board

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. face — part of the head
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — a committee
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. board — to get on
  20. rock — music
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rock — a stone

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