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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. face — to confront
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. face — part of the head
  10. tube — the underground
  11. season — of the year
  12. land — a country
  13. pit — a hole
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. face — to point toward
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mug — a face
  23. tube — a container
  24. land — ground

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