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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ball — a great time
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fine — all right
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. face — to confront
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. current — of water
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ball — a round shape

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