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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. spell — a short time
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. spell — letters
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. spell — magic
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. snap — to click
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — there
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. face — to confront
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. present — the time now
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. patient — a sick person

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