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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: wind · prune · face · rash · safe · net · leaves · wave

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. net — for catching
  7. prune — to trim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. face — to confront
  10. prune — to trim
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. net — in sport
  15. face — to point toward
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. net — after costs
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wave — of the sea

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