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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. row — to paddle
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. staff — employees
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kick — in football
  22. fall — the season
  23. spell — magic
  24. bulb — for light

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