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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
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: wound · charge · rush · plane · rash · face · spell · wave

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. face — to point toward
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. face — to confront
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. charge — a price
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — in control
  10. face — part of the head
  11. spell — letters
  12. wound — an injury
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rash — a series
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wave — of the sea

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