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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. content — happy
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mug — to rob
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. face — to confront
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mug — a cup
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. mug — a face
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. content — the amount
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spell — letters
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. suit — clothes

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