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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — a tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hand — help
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — a series
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. face — to confront
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bulb — for light
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. hand — in cards
  24. wave — with your hand

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