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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. scale — size or range
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. sharp — clever
  7. swing — music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pit — in a race
  17. roll — a list
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. scale — in music
  23. face — to confront
  24. scale — for weighing

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