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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spell — magic
  8. cap — a lid
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — the earth
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ground — a position
  22. firm — steady
  23. ball — a great time
  24. hand — part of the body

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