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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spell — letters
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rash — a series
  10. face — to confront
  11. fine — high quality
  12. club — for golf
  13. mate — a partner
  14. face — part of the head
  15. club — a group
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — magic
  20. fine — all right
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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