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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. band — a music group
  3. object — to protest
  4. face — part of the head
  5. object — a thing
  6. fork — in a road
  7. band — a ring
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — an aim
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cap — a hat
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cap — a lid

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