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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. swing — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. face — to point toward
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. firm — a company
  13. shower — rain
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rule — a law
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — to wash
  20. snap — to click
  21. firm — steady
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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