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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. face — to confront
  4. stock — goods
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. charge — in control
  9. stock — shares
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. face — part of the head
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bear — the animal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. tear — to rip
  19. charge — a price
  20. swing — music
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. temple — a place of worship

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