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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — magic
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. track — a path
  11. stand — to bear
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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