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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: kick · fork · swing · face · leaves · net · firm · pass

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. firm — a company
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. firm — steady
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. kick — in football
  15. face — part of the head
  16. swing — music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fork — in a road
  19. swing — in golf
  20. face — to confront
  21. swing — to play on
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. firm — decided
  24. pass — to succeed

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