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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a dance
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lean — to bend
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lean — thin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hide — to keep secret

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