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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. content — the amount
  5. pop — to visit
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. suit — clothes
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. swing — to play on
  10. face — to point toward
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. content — happy
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. swing — in golf
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. swing — music
  18. pop — music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pop — soda

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