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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 124 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. swing — music
  3. spell — letters
  4. chest — a box
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ground — crushed
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ground — a position
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spell — magic
  22. face — to confront
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rush — hurry

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