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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. row — a line
  9. spell — letters
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fine — high quality
  24. safe — a strongbox

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