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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cap — of ice
  3. face — part of the head
  4. swing — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — in golf
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hand — help
  12. cap — a lid
  13. face — to confront
  14. land — ground
  15. suit — in cards
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. face — to point toward
  20. swing — to play on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cap — a hat
  24. suit — to fit

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