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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: wake · present · pop · sharp · face · bay · ball · saw

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. pop — soda
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. present — there
  5. wake — a trail
  6. present — a gift
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. present — the time now
  10. pop — to visit
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — part of the head
  13. saw — the tool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. face — to point toward
  16. saw — the tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pop — music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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