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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chest — a box
  3. present — a gift
  4. mug — a cup
  5. key — in music
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — there
  12. spell — letters
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. present — the time now
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rash — a series
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mug — a face
  24. bear — to put up with

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