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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 116 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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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: rest · suit · swing · wave · wind · face · coach · branch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wind — moving air
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rest — what's left
  7. branch — a division
  8. face — to point toward
  9. swing — music
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. swing — in golf
  19. suit — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rest — a break
  24. face — to confront

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