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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spell — letters
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mug — a face
  11. object — to protest
  12. file — a tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a document
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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