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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — of a river
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bank — for money
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. swing — music

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