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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. branch — a division
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. spell — letters
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. suit — to fit
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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