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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. track — a song
  4. club — for golf
  5. mug — a cup
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. club — a group
  10. track — a path
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mug — a face
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fall — to drop
  19. spell — magic
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — to rob
  23. club — for dancing
  24. track — to keep track

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