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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — an aim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — a thing
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rest — a break
  14. spell — letters
  15. object — to protest
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stem — to come from

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