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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. face — to point toward
  6. race — a contest
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. foot — a measure
  10. face — part of the head
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. season — in sport
  17. face — to confront
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. dip — to sink
  24. season — of the year

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