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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. game — a match
  3. lean — thin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mark — a grade
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bear — the animal
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. game — wild animals
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mark — a trace
  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