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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — decided
  4. object — a thing
  5. current — happening now
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. capital — a city
  8. object — an aim
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — a company
  11. face — to confront
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. current — of water
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. object — to protest
  16. current — electric
  17. fall — the season
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. firm — steady
  20. deal — to handle
  21. capital — money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. face — to point toward

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