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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: mug · bay · face · rule · cap · board · perch · mark

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rule — a law
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. board — a committee
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — to rob
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. board — to get on
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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