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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pass — a permit
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stock — goods
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. roll — a list
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. face — to confront
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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