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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wind — moving air
  8. track — a path
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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