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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.

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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. season — of the year
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. season — in sport
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — a thing
  11. spell — letters
  12. snap — to click
  13. lie — to recline
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. object — an aim
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. spell — a short time
  18. object — to protest

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