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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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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: mouse · safe · swing · rock · toast · face · ground · court

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. face — to confront
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — bread
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ground — a position
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. face — part of the head
  15. court — for sport
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — to point toward
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rock — music
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. swing — music
  24. ground — the earth

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