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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: stick · rush · swing · date · capital · suit · kick · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. capital — a city
  3. kick — in football
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. capital — money
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. swing — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rush — hurry
  13. swing — in golf
  14. face — to confront
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. date — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. date — on the calendar

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