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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 120 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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wind — moving air
  7. march — the month
  8. can — a tin
  9. charge — in control
  10. face — to confront
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. march — the month
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — a price

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