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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — a committee
  9. pound — a weight
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. board — to get on

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