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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — letters
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — to play on
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — a short time
  15. swing — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — to confront
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — part of the head
  21. spell — magic
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. swing — in golf

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