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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. face — part of the head
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. charge — a price
  11. swing — to play on
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. spell — magic
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. charge — in control
  17. swing — in golf
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — a short time
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — thin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. spell — letters

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