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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 120 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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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: bound · face · bank · spring · foot · pit · pass · wave

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — of a river
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — a permit
  7. spring — the season
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. foot — a measure
  11. face — to confront
  12. spring — of water
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. face — to point toward
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — to spend time

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