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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of a king
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. swing — music
  7. court — of law
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bark — to shout
  13. current — happening now
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. court — for sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — to point toward
  20. current — electric
  21. face — part of the head
  22. swing — to play on
  23. face — to confront
  24. date — the fruit

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