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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spell — magic
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — for golf
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. object — to protest
  14. club — a group
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. root — the cause
  24. lie — an untruth

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