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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. content — happy
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. face — to confront
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kick — in football
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. face — part of the head
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. spell — letters
  18. content — the amount
  19. spell — magic
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. face — to point toward
  24. kick — with a leg

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