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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: suit · face · drill · prune · firm · swing · hide · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. face — to point toward
  4. suit — to fit
  5. drill — the tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. suit — clothes
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. swing — in golf
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — clever
  12. swing — to play on
  13. firm — a company
  14. drill — a practice
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. firm — steady
  21. prune — to trim
  22. drill — army training
  23. swing — music
  24. face — to confront

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