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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · file · swing · leaves · face · dip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. file — a tool
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. file — a line of people
  6. face — part of the head
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. file — a document
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — in golf
  11. dip — to sink
  12. swing — to play on
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. face — to confront
  18. coach — a trainer

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