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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spell — magic
  3. wake — a trail
  4. face — to confront
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. season — of the year
  8. face — part of the head
  9. spell — a short time
  10. face — to point toward
  11. swing — to play on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. spell — letters
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. season — in sport
  17. swing — music
  18. racket — for tennis

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