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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. face — part of the head
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. spell — letters
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — a group
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — magic
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. face — to confront
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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