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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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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. dip — to sink
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. spell — magic
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. season — in sport
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. season — of the year
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rest — a break
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. foot — a measure

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