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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. spell — a short time
  7. net — after costs
  8. club — a group
  9. mark — a grade
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. net — in sport
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mark — a trace
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. club — for dancing
  16. spell — letters
  17. last — final
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — finally
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. club — for golf
  23. net — for catching
  24. squash — to crush

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