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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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468
Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bear — the animal
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rest — what's left
  23. face — to confront
  24. fork — in a road

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