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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. track — a song
  3. face — part of the head
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. track — a path
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. swing — to play on
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — to keep track
  23. deal — to handle
  24. foot — part of the body

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