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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. track — a song
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mate — to breed
  6. court — for sport
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. court — of a king
  9. bark — to shout
  10. face — to confront
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mate — a partner
  13. track — to keep track
  14. court — of law
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. track — a path
  17. mate — a friend
  18. face — part of the head
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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