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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. swing — music
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wind — moving air
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — in golf
  17. face — to confront
  18. pit — a hole
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. rock — a stone
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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