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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. scale — size or range
  3. band — a music group
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cell — a phone
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lean — thin
  11. bound — obliged
  12. spell — letters
  13. cell — in biology
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. scale — in music
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bound — certain
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. spell — magic
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lean — to bend

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