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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stand — to bear
  16. can — to be able to
  17. spell — letters
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bowl — to roll

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