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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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468
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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. spell — magic
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — of the year
  7. key — the most important part
  8. root — of a word
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fall — the season
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. season — in sport
  17. spell — letters
  18. fall — to drop
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. key — in music
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pound — a weight

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