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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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. fan — a supporter
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. spell — letters
  5. drill — army training
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. key — in music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bank — for money
  17. spell — a short time
  18. chair — a leader
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — of a river
  24. drill — the tool

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