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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. face — to point toward
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pit — in a race
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. face — part of the head
  22. plane — a tool
  23. face — to confront
  24. key — in music

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