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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. present — there
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bank — for money
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spell — letters
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. plane — a tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — low music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — of a river
  21. present — the time now
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. face — to confront
  24. plane — an aircraft

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