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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. squash — to crush
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. last — to go on
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. last — final
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. last — finally
  19. spell — letters
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. dip — to sink
  24. squash — the sport

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