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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — in music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. band — a music group
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. scale — in music
  19. band — a ring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. spell — letters
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. nail — for a hammer

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