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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spell — a short time
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. content — happy
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — the time now
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. present — there
  18. stand — to bear
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — letters
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stand — on your feet
  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