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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. object — to protest
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. clip — a video
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. spell — letters
  23. bound — tied together
  24. clip — for paper

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