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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stand — to bear
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. object — a thing
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. object — to protest
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fall — the season
  24. snap — to click

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