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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. face — to confront
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rest — what's left
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rest — what's left
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — a grade
  20. present — there
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cabinet — ministers

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