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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. plane — a tool
  3. current — electric
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. face — to confront
  6. bound — tied together
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — happening now
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bound — certain
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — boats
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — obliged

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