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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spell — letters
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. court — of a king
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — for sport
  20. snap — to click
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spell — a short time
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. court — of law

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