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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: face · pop · pitcher · rush · mate · bark · wave · swing

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. swing — music
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bark — to shout
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pop — soda
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. face — to confront
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mate — a friend

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