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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — tied together
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — of a word
  13. bound — certain
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — to fit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bound — obliged
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — clothes

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