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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
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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: file · bear · game · cabinet · swing · season · face · wind

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. game — wild animals
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. face — to confront
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. swing — to play on
  9. file — a document
  10. face — part of the head
  11. season — of the year
  12. bear — the animal
  13. game — a match
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wind — moving air
  19. season — in sport
  20. swing — music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. cabinet — ministers

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