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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — to push
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. object — to protest
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. object — an aim
  10. face — to confront
  11. mark — a trace
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. press — newspapers
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — to point toward
  20. object — a thing
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. press — a publisher
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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