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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 124 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. face — to confront
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. face — to point toward
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mark — a grade
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. swing — to play on
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. swing — music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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