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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. plane — a tool
  7. snap — to click
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — government
  12. drill — a practice
  13. swing — to play on
  14. drill — army training
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rule — a law
  21. bank — for money
  22. drill — the tool
  23. swing — music
  24. face — part of the head

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