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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. land — ground
  3. drill — a practice
  4. fine — all right
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. spell — a short time
  7. present — there
  8. spell — letters
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — to come down
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. key — in music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. drill — army training
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. land — a country
  21. fine — high quality
  22. present — a gift
  23. key — the most important part
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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