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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 124 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. firm — decided
  3. spring — the season
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spring — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spell — magic
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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