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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: land · chair · ball · wave · stick · track · face · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a path
  3. land — ground
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. face — to confront
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. land — a country
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — to come down
  19. track — a song
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. chair — a leader

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