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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. face — to point toward
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fall — the season
  12. face — part of the head
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bark — to shout
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — a price
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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