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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. face — to confront
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spell — a short time
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. spell — magic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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