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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. deal — to handle
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pass — a permit
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. face — to confront
  24. saw — the tool

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