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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. spell — letters
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to click
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. object — an aim
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stock — goods
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — magic
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mate — a friend
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lie — to recline

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