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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. field — for sport
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. perch — the fish
  7. field — a subject
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mug — a face
  10. toast — bread
  11. field — farmland
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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