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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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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: lean · band · perch · face · swing · pass · board · plane

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lean — thin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — to confront
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. band — a ring
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. swing — to play on
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — to bend
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. face — part of the head
  20. perch — the fish
  21. band — a music group
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. board — to get on
  24. swing — in 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