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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.

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: swing · present · season · bass · face · march · club · lean

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. season — in sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. swing — in golf
  5. present — there
  6. swing — music
  7. face — part of the head
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. present — a gift
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. club — for dancing
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lean — to bend
  15. club — for golf
  16. march — the month
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — low music
  19. lean — thin
  20. club — a group
  21. march — the month
  22. bass — the fish
  23. march — music
  24. swing — to play on

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