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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. spell — magic
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. tear — from crying
  13. spell — letters
  14. club — a group
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. club — for golf
  24. spell — a short time

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