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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. object — to protest
  10. lean — thin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. face — to confront
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. suit — to fit
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. object — a thing
  20. spell — magic
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fan — a supporter

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