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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — of the year
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rock — music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rock — a stone
  12. season — in sport
  13. face — to confront
  14. club — a group
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — a trail
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wave — of the sea

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