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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — magic
  3. squash — to crush
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. squash — the sport
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. band — a music group
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — to recline
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. squash — the vegetable

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