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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — a gift
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. face — to confront
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. staff — employees
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mug — a face
  18. bear — the animal
  19. present — there
  20. club — a group
  21. present — the time now
  22. face — part of the head
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — with your hand

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