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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.

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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 · safe · bowl · club · pop · board · stick · rule

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. club — a group
  7. rule — government
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pop — music
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. club — for golf
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pop — soda
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rule — a law

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