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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. track — a path
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. band — a music group
  8. squash — to crush
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. track — to keep track
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spell — letters
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spell — magic
  24. track — a song

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