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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — a company
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. firm — decided
  7. face — part of the head
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bound — obliged
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bound — certain
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bound — tied together

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