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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. face — part of the head
  12. net — in sport
  13. face — to point toward
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — after costs
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. net — for catching
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. charge — in control
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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