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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 120 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — to confront
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bank — of a river
  10. prune — to trim
  11. object — a thing
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. object — an aim
  24. bank — for money

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