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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mug — to rob
  8. toast — bread
  9. wax — to grow
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. face — part of the head
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. date — the fruit
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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