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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. land — a country
  3. spell — letters
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spring — of water
  10. rest — what's left
  11. spell — magic
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rest — a break

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