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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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rule — government
  3. spell — letters
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rule — a law
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cap — a hat
  11. degree — temperature
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cap — of ice
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. spell — magic
  21. degree — an amount
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cap — a lid

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