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

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. face — part of the head
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. firm — decided
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. firm — a company
  11. toast — bread
  12. craft — a skill
  13. face — to confront
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — in music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. face — to point toward
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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