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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a skill
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — all right
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. present — the time now
  16. rest — a break
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — boats
  24. present — there

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