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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spell — a short time
  4. craft — boats
  5. spring — the season
  6. rule — a law
  7. scale — size or range
  8. spell — letters
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. band — a ring
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. craft — a skill
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fine — all right
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spring — of water
  24. fine — high quality

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