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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. object — a thing
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — low music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — an aim
  16. current — of water
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. current — happening now
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. object — to protest

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