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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · fall · safe · game · capital · swing · firm · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. face — to confront
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. swing — in golf
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. swing — music
  9. rash — hasty
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. capital — a city
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — part of the head
  16. firm — steady
  17. capital — money
  18. fall — the season
  19. firm — decided
  20. game — a match
  21. rash — a series
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fall — to drop
  24. capital — a big letter

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