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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: leaves · face · track · coach · saw · rock · wave · kick

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. track — a song
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. face — to point toward
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. track — to keep track
  15. saw — the tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. face — to confront
  20. saw — the tool
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. track — a path
  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