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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. firm — decided
  4. swing — to play on
  5. march — the month
  6. rest — what's left
  7. march — the month
  8. rest — a break
  9. track — to keep track
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pop — soda
  12. march — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — music
  17. face — to confront
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pop — to visit
  22. firm — steady
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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