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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
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 · current · wave · bore · temple · bay · row · spell

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — letters
  5. face — to point toward
  6. spell — magic
  7. current — of water
  8. face — part of the head
  9. current — happening now
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. row — a line
  17. bore — to drill
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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