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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. present — the time now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. swing — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. swing — in golf
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. face — to point toward
  18. present — a gift
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — for digging
  23. swing — to play on
  24. present — there

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