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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. land — ground
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — a country
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. land — to come down
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — a tool

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