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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. swing — music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cap — a hat
  6. swing — in golf
  7. drill — army training
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. face — to confront
  12. key — for a lock
  13. drill — the tool
  14. face — part of the head
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — in music
  17. present — the time now
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. key — the most important part
  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