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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. present — the time now
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rock — music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. face — to confront
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. present — there
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. present — a gift
  16. face — part of the head
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — the animal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. coach — a trainer

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