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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. face — to confront
  3. present — the time now
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bear — the animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. file — a document
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — a permit
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. charge — in control
  15. bear — the animal
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. face — part of the head
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. charge — electricity
  22. face — to point toward
  23. present — a gift
  24. file — a tool

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