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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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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: bowl · bear · face · spell · wax · bay · wake · pit

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. spell — magic
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wax — for sculpting

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