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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. spring — of water
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — letters
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rest — a break
  10. face — to point toward
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mark — a grade
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spell — magic
  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