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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — in a race
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rest — a break
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. tear — to rip
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. capital — a city
  19. face — to confront
  20. capital — money
  21. firm — a company
  22. pit — a hole
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rest — what's left

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