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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. tear — from crying
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. content — the amount
  8. board — a committee
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — decided
  11. tear — from crying
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. tear — to rip
  15. club — for golf
  16. board — to get on
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. foot — a measure
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. club — for dancing
  24. foot — the bottom

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