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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. face — to point toward
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — a list
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kick — in football
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. face — to confront
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. face — part of the head
  23. firm — steady
  24. mouse — for a computer

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