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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 120 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.

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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — to fit
  4. band — a ring
  5. cap — a lid
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spell — magic
  14. band — a music group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. suit — clothes
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — a hat

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