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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. face — part of the head
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. march — the month
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. march — music
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rule — a law
  10. lie — to recline
  11. swing — music
  12. capital — money
  13. mate — a friend
  14. swing — to play on
  15. capital — a city
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — government
  18. march — the month
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to confront
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — to rule out

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