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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. rock — a stone
  5. squash — to crush
  6. firm — decided
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — for digging
  14. last — final
  15. rock — music
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. squash — the sport
  18. firm — steady
  19. face — to point toward
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. last — to go on

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