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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. march — the month
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pop — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. staff — a stick
  15. march — the month
  16. pop — soda
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. march — music
  19. spell — magic
  20. foot — a measure
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to confront
  24. foot — part of the body

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