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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. field — a subject
  4. roll — a list
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. suit — in cards
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — in cards
  13. spell — letters
  14. field — for sport
  15. roll — a cake
  16. saw — the tool
  17. hand — help
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — magic
  23. saw — the tool
  24. field — farmland

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