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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 124 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ball — a great time
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fork — in a road
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. face — to confront
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. face — to point toward
  18. branch — a division
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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