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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. kick — in football
  7. file — a tool
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. branch — a division
  24. lash — to lash out

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