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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.

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: wave · nail · face · bound · coach · prune · fall · content

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fall — to drop
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — to trim
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fall — to drop
  16. prune — to trim
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — to confront
  21. fall — the season
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. content — happy

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