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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 124 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. bank — for money
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — to be able to
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fall — the season
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to confront
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fall — to drop
  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