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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. spell — magic
  14. season — in sport
  15. band — a ring
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. season — of the year
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — letters
  24. pound — for dogs

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