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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mark — a grade
  5. swing — music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. row — a line
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a trace

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