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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pop — soda
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mate — to breed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — letters
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mate — a friend
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fall — the season
  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