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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. hand — help
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. season — of the year
  12. rush — hurry
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. spell — magic
  18. season — in sport
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rock — music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. spell — letters

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