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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. roll — a list
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. spell — letters
  17. foot — a measure
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. content — the amount
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ruler — for measuring

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