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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: face · spell · game · fall · temple · coach · bear · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spell — magic
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fall — the season
  9. face — to confront
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. game — a match
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fall — to drop
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — with your hand

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