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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: face · dip · arm · saw · fork · bulb · track · wave

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. track — to keep track
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. face — to point toward
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. face — to confront
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. track — a path
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. face — part of the head
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to sink
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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