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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kick — in football
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cap — a lid
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tube — a container
  8. face — to confront
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. ground — a position
  12. ball — a great time
  13. face — to point toward
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ground — the earth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. tube — the underground

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