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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — to eat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. field — for sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — farmland
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. face — to confront
  19. field — a subject
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mate — a partner

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