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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cap — a lid
  3. object — a thing
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spell — magic
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cap — a hat
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. can — to be able to
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. mark — a grade
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — letters
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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