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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wound — an injury
  3. object — to protest
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. object — an aim
  8. wound — an injury
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. object — a thing
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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