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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rash — hasty
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rule — government
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. court — of law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. court — of a king
  10. net — in sport
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rash — a series
  14. net — after costs
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — a law
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — for catching
  20. craft — boats
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. court — for sport
  24. rash — on the skin

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