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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — a face
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — a grade
  17. face — to confront
  18. mark — a trace
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. face — part of the head
  24. leaves — to go away

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