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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: date · face · cabinet · lie · track · season · key · swing

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. track — a path
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — part of the head
  5. key — the most important part
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. face — to confront
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. key — in music
  11. track — to keep track
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. face — to point toward
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. track — a song
  18. date — the fruit
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. swing — music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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