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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: face · fork · swing · file · pop · press · pit · calf

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pop — to visit
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. press — a publisher
  8. file — a document
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. face — to confront
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. press — to push
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. pop — soda
  19. press — newspapers
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pop — music
  23. pit — in a race
  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