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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · net · spell · bear · pitcher · face

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. face — to confront
  5. spell — magic
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rest — a break
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. net — after costs
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — part of the head
  14. net — for catching
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. net — in sport
  18. rest — what's left

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