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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pound — a weight
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. face — part of the head
  22. spell — letters
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rash — hasty

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