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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. drill — army training
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pit — in a race
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. drill — the tool
  11. face — to confront
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. object — an aim
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mouse — the animal

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