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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spell — magic
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lean — thin
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. spell — letters
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. band — a ring
  12. rock — a stone
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a music group
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rock — music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — to bend
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — to trim

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