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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. spell — letters
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — a company
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. firm — steady
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rock — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rule — government
  24. bore — gave birth

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