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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rest — what's left
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — thin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. charge — in control
  9. spell — magic
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fine — all right
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. charge — electricity
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. charge — a price
  19. spell — letters
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chest — a box

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