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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — a trail
  5. object — an aim
  6. spell — letters
  7. season — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. object — a thing
  11. spell — magic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pound — a weight
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. season — of the year
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. jam — in traffic

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