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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. face — to point toward
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. last — to go on
  8. rash — a series
  9. last — final
  10. race — a contest
  11. bass — low music
  12. face — to confront
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. last — finally
  16. suit — in cards
  17. race — humankind
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rash — hasty
  24. track — a path

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