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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. scale — size or range
  5. face — to confront
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — a break
  9. swing — in golf
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. swing — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pass — a permit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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