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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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Word bank
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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. spring — of water
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. land — ground
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — magic
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. spring — the season
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. land — a country
  22. game — a match
  23. land — to come down
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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