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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. chair — a leader
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. dip — to sink
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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