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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 120 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to tire
  11. file — a document
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bore — to drill
  16. face — to confront
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. file — a tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitch — completely
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — a tool

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