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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 120 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: mug · ball · swing · nail · rule · lean · rash · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mug — to rob
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rule — government
  7. rash — a series
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rule — a law
  21. face — to confront
  22. lean — thin
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mug — a face

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