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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. spell — magic
  6. mark — a grade
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. march — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — a thing
  13. suit — clothes
  14. march — the month
  15. object — an aim
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. object — to protest
  22. spell — letters
  23. march — the month
  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