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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. swing — music
  10. face — to confront
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a friend
  24. swing — to play on

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