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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 116 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. field — for sport
  5. rock — music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. face — to confront
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. field — a subject
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. face — to point toward
  24. field — farmland

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