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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. net — for catching
  4. spell — magic
  5. net — after costs
  6. present — a gift
  7. net — in sport
  8. present — the time now
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — there
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. spell — letters
  16. rest — a break
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. staff — employees
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lie — to recline
  24. staff — employees

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