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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. spell — magic
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. branch — a division
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. last — to go on
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. last — finally
  12. chest — of your body
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rock — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — to bear
  18. last — final
  19. chest — of your body
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. sharp — clever
  24. spell — letters

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