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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tube — a container
  9. file — a document
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — electric
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. current — happening now
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bound — obliged
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — of water
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitch — completely

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