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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 116 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: rest · hide · wave · lie · racket · face · ground · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — a break
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — to confront
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lie — to recline
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — the earth

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