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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. face — to point toward
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mate — a friend
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. face — part of the head
  19. current — electric
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — a partner
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — a 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