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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. face — to confront
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. face — to point toward
  17. season — in sport
  18. march — the month
  19. season — of the year
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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