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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spell — magic
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — hurry
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. craft — a skill
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. shower — rain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wax — to grow
  17. firm — decided
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — steady
  21. shower — to wash
  22. spell — letters
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rush — to hurry

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