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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. swing — in golf
  3. face — part of the head
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. file — a tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. file — a document
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. file — a line of people
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — to recline
  21. swing — music
  22. toast — bread
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. swing — to play on

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