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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. face — to point toward
  3. object — to protest
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — to rob
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — to confront
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — an aim
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup

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