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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — a country
  4. deal — to handle
  5. net — in sport
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. land — to come down
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. net — for catching
  12. spell — magic
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. land — ground
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spell — letters
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. track — a song
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. track — a path

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