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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. swing — to play on
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. swing — music
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pop — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pop — soda
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stand — on your feet

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