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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — a gift
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. present — there
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — for a lock
  12. present — the time now
  13. key — in music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spell — magic
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. rest — a break
  23. spell — a short time
  24. key — the most important part

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