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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — of water
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — thin
  13. spring — the season
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. drill — army training
  24. lean — to bend

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