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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. last — finally
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. last — to go on
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. last — final
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — part of the head
  17. hand — help
  18. mark — a grade
  19. face — to confront
  20. mark — a trace
  21. face — to point toward
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — a stone

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