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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fall — to drop
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fall — the season
  15. face — to confront
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. fall — to drop

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