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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. file — a tool
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — part of the head
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. tube — a container
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. tube — the underground
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to confront
  24. rock — music

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