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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. spell — magic
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chest — of your body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spell — letters
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. chest — of your body

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