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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — magic
  3. fork — in a road
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. toast — bread
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wax — to grow
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. spell — letters
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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