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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.

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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spell — letters
  12. can — to be able to
  13. face — to point toward
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. face — to confront
  24. spell — a short time

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