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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. craft — boats
  5. spell — magic
  6. staff — a stick
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. staff — employees
  10. craft — a skill
  11. land — a country
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spell — letters
  17. land — ground
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. spell — a short time
  20. season — of the year
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — in sport

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