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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. spell — letters
  5. scale — size or range
  6. spell — magic
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ball — a dance
  10. press — a publisher
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. press — newspapers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spell — a short time
  17. scale — in music
  18. face — to point toward
  19. press — to push
  20. face — to confront
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. scale — for weighing

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