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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. object — a thing
  5. face — to confront
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. face — to point toward
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bass — the fish
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. object — to protest
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — low music
  24. mine — an explosive

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