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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. last — finally
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. last — final
  10. last — to go on
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — a short time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rest — a break
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — letters
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. suit — to fit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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