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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — a short time
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — clothes
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. face — to point toward
  11. kick — in football
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. face — to confront
  18. spell — letters
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. face — part of the head
  21. lean — to bend
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pass — a permit
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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