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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 120 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.

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: dip · wave · face · firm · hide · branch · board · clip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. face — to confront
  3. clip — for paper
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — a video
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. face — to point toward
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. branch — a division
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — part of the head
  20. firm — decided
  21. board — to get on
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. firm — steady

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