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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. face — to confront
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. chest — a box
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fine — high quality

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