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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rule · wave · date · fan · coach · rock · prune · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rule — a law
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. prune — to trim
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rule — government
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. face — to confront
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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