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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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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: temple · pound · face · racket · wake · field · bulb · leaves

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. face — to confront
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wake — a trail
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. field — farmland

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