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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pop — soda
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — music
  10. rest — a break
  11. pop — to visit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pop — music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mate — a partner
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mug — a face
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — a supporter

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