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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spell — letters
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. craft — boats
  18. fall — to drop
  19. craft — a skill
  20. spell — magic
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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