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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. firm — steady
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — magic
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. scale — in music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bore — to tire
  23. firm — a company
  24. racket — for tennis

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