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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — in cards
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — to fit
  6. swing — to play on
  7. game — wild animals
  8. face — to point toward
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. game — a match
  11. mate — to breed
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mate — a partner
  17. face — part of the head
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. swing — music
  20. tear — to rip
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tear — from crying
  24. face — to confront

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