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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. capital — money
  5. spell — magic
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — to sink
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — a city
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spell — letters
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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