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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stock — goods
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. vault — a safe
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. spring — of water
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — letters
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spring — a coil
  17. fork — in a road
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stock — shares
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spring — the season

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