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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.

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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — letters
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — magic
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. dip — to sink
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mark — a trace
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spell — a short time
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. deal — an agreement

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