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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. object — an aim
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. object — to protest
  6. track — a path
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wake — a trail
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. face — part of the head
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. season — of the year
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. face — to confront
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. season — in sport
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. track — to keep track

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