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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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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. face — to confront
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. spell — a short time
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — a trail
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bark — to shout
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. safe — a strongbox

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