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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
468
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: jam · lean · hide · staff · face · wave · bass · fan

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bass — low music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. face — to confront
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lean — thin
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. face — to point toward
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bass — the fish
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fan — to cool the air

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