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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — magic
  3. mug — a cup
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. face — to confront
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mug — a face
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wax — to grow
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. root — of a word
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — to be able to
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spell — letters
  23. root — the cause
  24. jam — a tight spot

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