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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: roll · band · wave · face · board · object · jam · firm

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — a list
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. band — a music group
  10. object — to protest
  11. face — to confront
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. object — a thing
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. band — a ring
  17. object — an aim
  18. board — a committee
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. firm — decided
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. firm — a company
  24. board — to get on

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