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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. spell — magic
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bat — the animal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. face — to confront
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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