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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. spell — letters
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — magic
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. drill — the tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rule — government
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. can — a tin
  22. object — an aim
  23. rule — a law
  24. spell — a short time

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