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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: object · march · foot · face · suit · saw · club · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. march — music
  5. face — to point toward
  6. object — a thing
  7. face — to confront
  8. saw — the tool
  9. object — an aim
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. face — part of the head
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wind — moving air
  18. club — for dancing
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. club — a group
  22. march — the month
  23. object — to protest
  24. club — for golf

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