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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. swing — in golf
  3. net — for catching
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — to confront
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. face — to point toward
  12. net — in sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. net — after costs
  15. roll — a cake
  16. swing — music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wind — moving air
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wind — to turn a key

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