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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — of a river
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. charge — a price
  9. ground — a position
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. bound — certain

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