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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: swing · fan · mug · saw · bowl · race · rest · face

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. race — humankind
  3. saw — the tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — to play on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. face — to confront
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. race — a contest
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. saw — the tool
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mug — a face
  24. face — to point toward

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