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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. staff — employees
  4. pit — a hole
  5. scale — size or range
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. land — a country
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. scale — in music
  15. fork — in a road
  16. land — to come down
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. staff — employees
  21. land — ground
  22. spell — letters
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rush — hurry

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