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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: face · bore · degree · hide · date · wave · spell · suit

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. spell — magic
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. degree — from a university
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. date — the fruit
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — to confront
  14. spell — letters
  15. suit — in cards
  16. face — part of the head
  17. degree — an amount
  18. spell — a short time
  19. degree — temperature
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bore — to drill

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