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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fork — in a road
  3. face — to point toward
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. row — a line
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. row — to paddle
  10. spell — letters
  11. face — to confront
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bear — to put up with

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