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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. spell — letters
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cap — of ice
  8. spell — a short time
  9. net — after costs
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rush — hurry
  13. net — in sport
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cap — a hat
  21. degree — from a university
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. safe — out of danger

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