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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rock — music
  11. spell — letters
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. swing — music
  14. current — happening now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. face — to confront
  19. spell — magic
  20. current — of water
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. swing — to play on
  24. current — electric

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