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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. track — a song
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. last — final
  6. spell — a short time
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a path
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. last — finally
  15. track — to keep track
  16. object — a thing
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. toast — bread
  19. last — to go on
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. object — to protest
  23. spell — magic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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