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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. firm — decided
  3. spell — a short time
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. can — a tin
  6. ground — the earth
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. spell — letters
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bound — tied together
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ground — crushed
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bound — obliged
  20. deal — to handle
  21. firm — steady
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — a position

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