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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 116 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — to crush
  5. spell — magic
  6. rule — government
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ball — a great time
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. spell — letters
  15. squash — the sport
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — a law
  18. charge — in control
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. calf — of the leg

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