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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spell — letters
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. suit — clothes
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. suit — to fit
  9. clip — for paper
  10. spell — a short time
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. clip — to cut
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. clip — a video
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — to grow

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