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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. fall — the season
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rash — a series
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. land — to come down
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fall — to drop

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