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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.

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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fall — the season
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fall — to drop
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rock — music
  11. charge — in control
  12. face — to confront
  13. fall — to drop
  14. root — of a word
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mine — for digging
  18. root — the cause
  19. charge — a price
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. charge — electricity
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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