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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. suit — in cards
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — a list
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rock — a stone
  15. spell — a short time
  16. face — to confront
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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