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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pop — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fine — all right
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — soda
  19. spell — magic
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pop — to visit
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cabinet — ministers

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