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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — magic
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ground — a position
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wind — moving air
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ground — crushed

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