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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. face — to point toward
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. swing — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. face — part of the head
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. face — to confront
  12. capital — a city
  13. rock — music
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a big letter

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