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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stock — goods
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. drill — army training
  12. face — to point toward
  13. swing — to play on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stand — to bear
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. drill — the tool

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