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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. face — to point toward
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bass — the fish
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. spell — letters
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. kid — child
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. kid — to tease
  19. face — part of the head
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — to confront
  24. bass — low music

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