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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ground — a position
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. spell — magic
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lean — thin
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chair — a leader
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ground — the earth
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. lean — to bend
  24. safe — out of danger

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