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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.

Make a worksheet

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: toast · face · wound · spell · wave · file · can · date

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — bread
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. spell — magic
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spell — letters
  12. file — a document
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. can — a tin
  15. file — a line of people
  16. face — part of the head
  17. spell — a short time
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. file — a tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — to point toward
  23. can — to be able to
  24. face — to confront

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