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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mug — a cup
  13. row — a line
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — to confront
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — in music
  23. face — to point toward
  24. ruler — for measuring

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