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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — boats
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bass — low music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — in control
  18. craft — a skill
  19. face — to point toward
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — electricity
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lie — to recline

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