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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. branch — a division
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. spell — a short time
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. land — a country
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — letters
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — for dancing
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. lean — thin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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