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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. net — after costs
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — for catching
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — letters
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — in sport
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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