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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. face — part of the head
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. calf — a young animal

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