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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a song
  5. spell — a short time
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rash — hasty
  11. track — a path
  12. rule — a law
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. spell — letters
  17. rule — government
  18. tube — a container
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rash — a series
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tube — the underground

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