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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. present — there
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. current — happening now
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. current — of water
  13. stand — to bear
  14. present — the time now
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. current — electric
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. face — part of the head
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — to cool the air

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