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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. face — part of the head
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. chair — a leader
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stand — to bear
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. face — to point toward
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. perch — the fish
  15. swing — music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — to confront
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — in golf
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. suit — in cards

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