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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.

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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: wave · mug · lie · face · track · dip · stem · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. face — to confront
  5. mug — to rob
  6. track — to keep track
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ball — a dance
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a face
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. track — a path
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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