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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. swing — to play on
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. swing — in golf
  6. face — to confront
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chair — a leader
  9. firm — a company
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fine — high quality
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. staff — employees
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rule — government
  19. swing — music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. rule — a law

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