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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 116 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: swing · squash · bark · face · calf · rock · mark · firm

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — a stone
  4. face — part of the head
  5. swing — to play on
  6. firm — decided
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mark — a grade
  10. face — to confront
  11. firm — a company
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. swing — music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — steady
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rock — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. swing — in golf
  24. squash — the sport

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