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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. roll — a list
  3. spell — magic
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. club — for dancing
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. club — a group
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. suit — clothes
  23. roll — a cake
  24. spell — letters

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