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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. spell — letters
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. craft — a skill
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. spell — magic
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — government
  24. rock — music

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