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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. face — to confront
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. object — a thing
  11. face — to point toward
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — an aim
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. swing — music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wind — moving air
  21. charge — electricity
  22. object — to protest
  23. charge — in control
  24. swing — in golf

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