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

Word bank: face · chip · rest · drill · wound · mouse · coach · wave

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rest — a break
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chip — to eat
  6. face — to confront
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — army training
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — for betting
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. face — to point toward
  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