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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. date — the fruit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. band — a ring
  9. spell — magic
  10. wake — a trail
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. toast — bread
  14. face — part of the head
  15. band — a music group
  16. face — to confront
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. face — to point toward
  24. ball — a dance

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