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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mine — for digging
  3. spell — letters
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. present — there
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bound — certain
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bound — obliged
  24. suit — in cards

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