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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.

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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 · branch · snap · firm · perch · mark · wave · spell

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. spell — magic
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — decided
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. spell — a short time
  10. face — to confront
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. firm — steady
  19. spell — letters
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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