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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. face — to point toward
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to confront
  6. spell — letters
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — to be able to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. club — a group
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. club — for dancing
  16. spell — a short time
  17. club — for golf
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. perch — for a bird

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