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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pass — a permit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spring — the season
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. track — a path
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. root — of a word
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. spring — a coil
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spring — of water
  23. root — the cause
  24. wave — with your hand

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