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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: tube · march · face · wave · pound · arm · mark · object

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. face — to confront
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. face — part of the head
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. face — to point toward
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. march — music
  24. object — a thing

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