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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. mug — a face
  10. present — a gift
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. present — the time now
  18. rock — a stone
  19. present — there
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mug — a cup
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mug — to rob
  24. face — to confront

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