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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. face — part of the head
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. dip — to sink
  13. shower — rain
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spell — letters
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — magic
  22. rest — a break
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — the animal

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