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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. toast — bread
  6. face — part of the head
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — a signal
  11. face — to confront
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cue — a hint
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cue — for pool
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — letters
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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