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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fine — all right
  3. prune — to trim
  4. spell — a short time
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. spell — magic
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — a penalty

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