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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. clip — a video
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. race — a contest
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. clip — for paper
  17. face — to confront
  18. race — humankind
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. race — the arms race
  22. face — to point toward
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. clip — to cut

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