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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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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. band — a ring
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — employees
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. band — a music group
  9. tear — from crying
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. wind — moving air
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. suit — in cards
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. content — the amount
  19. tear — to rip
  20. staff — employees
  21. wind — moving air
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — from crying

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