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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · toast · jam · wake · wave · current · ball · bulb

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. current — of water
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. current — happening now
  18. toast — bread
  19. face — to confront
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bulb — for light
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ball — a dance

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