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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · bear · bay · perch · firm · spell · face · ball

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. perch — the fish
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. face — to point toward
  8. firm — a company
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — steady
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ball — a great time
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — magic
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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