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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. present — a gift
  4. rash — a series
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rash — hasty
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. craft — boats
  21. present — there
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ground — the earth

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