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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: pop · board · face · swing · straw · firm · last · calf

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. swing — in golf
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. swing — to play on
  9. last — to go on
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. last — final
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. swing — music
  14. board — to get on
  15. firm — steady
  16. face — to point toward
  17. last — finally
  18. face — to confront
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. face — part of the head
  23. board — a committee
  24. calf — a young animal

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