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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. roll — a list
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bound — obliged
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. wind — moving air
  10. roll — a cake
  11. object — an aim
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. object — a thing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bound — tied together
  19. object — to protest
  20. spell — letters
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bound — certain
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. suit — clothes

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