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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. club — for dancing
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. club — a group
  13. face — part of the head
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stand — to bear
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. swing — to play on
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. club — for golf
  22. swing — in golf
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wind — to turn a key

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