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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. race — humankind
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. swing — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. race — a contest
  12. swing — to play on
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. face — part of the head
  15. ball — a great time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. face — to point toward
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. board — to get on
  22. face — to confront
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fine — all right

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