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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chip — for betting
  3. face — to point toward
  4. rest — what's left
  5. season — of the year
  6. land — to come down
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rest — a break
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chip — to eat
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ground — a position
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. land — a country
  19. season — in sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. land — ground
  22. face — part of the head
  23. snap — to click
  24. rest — what's left

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