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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. object — a thing
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. land — a country
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. land — to come down
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. land — ground
  10. rash — a series
  11. spell — letters
  12. deal — to handle
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rash — hasty
  20. root — of a word
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — an aim

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