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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — to trim
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. prune — to trim
  12. face — to point toward
  13. date — the fruit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rest — a break
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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