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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. face — to point toward
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bass — the fish
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. swing — in golf
  14. fork — in a road
  15. swing — music
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — to confront
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bass — low music
  24. mark — a grade

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