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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: hide · racket · track · wake · wave · face · stand · trunk

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a path
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. face — part of the head
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. track — to keep track
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. face — to confront
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — to point toward
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — a trail
  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