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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spell — letters
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. suit — to fit
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. spell — a short time
  13. branch — a division
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lean — thin
  17. rule — government
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rule — a law

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