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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spell — magic
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — to breed
  8. can — to be able to
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mate — a friend
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — letters
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — after costs
  16. can — a tin
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — size or range
  21. object — an aim
  22. shower — to wash
  23. plane — a tool
  24. shower — rain

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