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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mate — a partner
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a friend
  17. perch — the fish
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — to sink
  21. spell — letters
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lash — an eyelash

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