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

Word bank: face · drill · rule · pound · cap · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rule — a law
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cap — a hat
  10. face — part of the head
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. face — to confront
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — to play on

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