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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.

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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. season — of the year
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — magic
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. swing — in golf
  8. spell — letters
  9. lie — to recline
  10. object — a thing
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. swing — to play on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bear — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. swing — music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lie — an untruth

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