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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. present — the time now
  4. spell — a short time
  5. face — to confront
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — there
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. spell — magic
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. kick — in football
  15. face — part of the head
  16. spell — letters
  17. season — in sport
  18. face — to point toward
  19. season — of the year
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. kick — a thrill

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