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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. chip — to eat
  10. object — an aim
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lean — thin
  13. object — a thing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fall — the season
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. spell — letters
  23. object — to protest
  24. snap — to click

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