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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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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: coach · ball · wave · racket · prune · face · deal · lie

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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. racket — a loud noise
  4. deal — to handle
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lie — to recline
  12. prune — to trim
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. face — to confront
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ball — a dance

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