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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. stem — to come from
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. field — a subject
  6. spell — letters
  7. field — farmland
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. field — for sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — a hint

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