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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — happening now
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — electric
  13. last — final
  14. face — part of the head
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. face — to confront
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. last — finally
  23. face — to point toward
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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