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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fork — in a road
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — to paddle
  9. spell — letters
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. row — a line
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. row — a quarrel

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