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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. object — a thing
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — to protest
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — in cards
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mug — a face
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air

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