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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: bark · lie · face · bowl · wave · file · suit · track

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. track — to keep track
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bark — to shout
  7. file — a document
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a tool
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — in cards
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. track — a song
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. suit — clothes

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