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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. spell — letters
  8. race — humankind
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. face — to confront
  11. craft — a skill
  12. race — a contest
  13. board — a committee
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stem — to come from
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — boats
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — the arms race

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