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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 120 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
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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: face · mate · bore · calf · board · fan · foot · ground

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mate — a partner
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — to drill
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. face — to confront
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. board — to get on
  19. ground — the earth
  20. face — part of the head
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ground — a position
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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