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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. swing — music
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. face — part of the head
  5. capital — money
  6. fork — in a road
  7. face — to confront
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. face — to point toward
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. capital — a city
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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