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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 · staff · rock · racket · wind · track · swing · bass

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. track — a path
  3. face — to point toward
  4. track — a song
  5. face — part of the head
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bass — low music
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rock — a stone
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wind — moving air
  15. swing — music
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. face — to confront
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bass — the fish
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rock — to move gently

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