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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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 — a short time
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bat — the animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lean — thin
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bass — low music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. spell — letters
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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