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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. swing — music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. face — to confront
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to bend
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — an injury

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