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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. swing — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cue — a hint
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. band — a ring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. swing — to play on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cue — a signal

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