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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spell — magic
  3. club — for golf
  4. lie — to recline
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bass — low music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bound — obliged
  9. last — finally
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. last — to go on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. last — final
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — letters
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. club — a group
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rush — hurry

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