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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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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. face — to confront
  7. spell — a short time
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. snap — to click
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. swing — to play on
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. spell — letters
  22. face — to point toward
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pit — a hole

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