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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. ball — a dance
  4. capital — money
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fine — all right
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. capital — a city
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — temperature
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. degree — from a university
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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