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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · suit · pitcher · bass · arm · roll · degree · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. degree — an amount
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. degree — temperature
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. roll — a list
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. face — part of the head
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. roll — a cake
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bass — low music
  23. face — to point toward
  24. arm — a part of something

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