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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. swing — in golf
  4. face — to confront
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. board — to get on
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. prune — to trim
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. swing — to play on

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