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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rock — music
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. wind — moving air
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rock — a stone
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. face — part of the head
  17. band — a music group
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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