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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bound — tied together
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spell — magic
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. row — a line
  14. swing — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. row — to paddle
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bound — certain
  23. spell — letters
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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