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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. club — for golf
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cap — a lid
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. spell — magic
  20. club — a group
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lie — to recline
  23. club — for dancing
  24. spell — letters

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