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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pound — a weight
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. present — there

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