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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. face — to point toward
  7. track — a song
  8. firm — a company
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. face — to confront
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. firm — steady
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. face — part of the head
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. firm — decided
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. track — a path
  24. wave — with your hand

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