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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ground — the earth
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ground — crushed
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ground — a position
  14. sharp — clever
  15. chair — a leader
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. sharp — with an edge

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