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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spring — the season
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. scale — in music
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spring — a coil
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. last — final
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mark — a grade
  20. face — to point toward
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. spring — of water
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mark — to pay attention

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