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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: spell · wave · bay · face · lie · kick · bat · fine

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kick — in football
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bat — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. spell — magic
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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