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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. band — a music group
  3. rock — music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. spell — a short time
  6. swing — in golf
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. band — a ring
  16. swing — to play on
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. face — to confront
  20. rock — a stone
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rock — to move gently

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