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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rush — hurry
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. face — to confront
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. game — a match
  9. rock — a stone
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. game — wild animals
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rock — music
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fine — all right
  24. deal — to handle

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