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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — a leader
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. spell — letters
  18. track — a song
  19. bulb — for light
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — a path
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — a short time

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