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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pop — soda
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pop — to visit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a committee
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pop — music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mark — a grade
  21. face — to point toward
  22. board — to get on
  23. face — to confront
  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