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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — letters
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. land — a country
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fall — the season
  11. rest — what's left
  12. land — ground
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — magic
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — a break
  17. land — to come down
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lie — to recline

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