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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — tied together
  14. date — the fruit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spell — letters
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spell — magic

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